European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 05, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse At right steam escapes from the Crater of mount Vesuvius the most Active Volcano on the european Mainland. Tour guide Dominico Sollazzo Points out a Pompeii Fresco to sailors from the Forrestal. In the Shadow of Vesuvius a plaster cast of one of the victims of the eruption that destroyed Pompeii in . 79. Baking Cruger Mediterranean Bureau no visitor to Naples can ignore mount Vesuvius the ticking time bomb that dominates the City. The nearly 4,000-foot-High Volcano has lured visitors through the Ages. Many visiting sixth Fleet sailors Are drawn by its Beauty its potential for mass destruction the havoc it has wrought. Busloads of crewmen from the Navy s aircraft Carrier Forrestal saw cause effect on Day Long visits last month to Vesuvius Pompeii. Vesuvius the most Active Volcano on the european Mainland has been erupting on off for 17,000 years. It last went off in 1944 As the allies liberated Naples. Since then the fiery hearted Mountain has been slumbering waiting to blow its top again. Back on an August Day in . 79, Vesuvius tired of waiting. It exploded with a Force 10 times greater than mount St. Helen s eruption blasting a column of pumice Ash 20 Miles into the sky. The cities of Pompeii Herculaneum died. Those who fled during the first stages of the eruption lived. Those who tarried died. Pompeii six Miles from the foot of the Volcano is a prime archaeological Sites. No other place contains so Many completely preserved remains of the ancient world. Shops Villas Baths Heaters a 20,000-seat Amphitheater Are Frozen in time. Dominico Sollazzo a Naples itt guide breathed life into Long dead Pompeii for the sailors. They Learned that Pompeii was an important International trading Center of some 15,000 people that it enjoyed a sophisticated Standard of living. Sailors were surprised to learn the City distributed water through Lead pipes. And although Pompeii did not have a sewer system it provided for the collection of urine fees for use As fertilizer. They Learned that the City s stepping stones were placed to allow water Chariot wheels to pass through the streets that Iron banded Chariot wheels ground out the deep grooves in the streets. The City s shops were fronted by sliding doors its Public Baths Large Villas had Central heating. Some even had Glass windows. The sailors also Learned that Pompeii Lay buried forgotten under nearly 25 feet of Ash Rock for More than 1,500 years. The City was rediscovered at the end of the 16th Century. Casts of the eruption s victims amazed Petty officer 2nd class Mike Scranton 35, who works in the Carrier s safety office. The Cincinnati resident Learned that the casts were made by painstakingly injecting plaster into cavities left in dry Ash by the decomposition of victims bodies. I studied about Pompeii in High school knew the romans had piped water so that came As no Surprise but the bakeries did. Their ovens look like modern Day pizza ovens Scranton said. The guide showed us Pompeii s red Light District where the bars were located. He made Pompeii come alive. It definitely has been the most interesting attraction on our Mediterranean cruise said Petty officer 2nd class Jose Martin 29, a cuban born dental technician aboard the Carrier. 4 stripes Magazine april 5, 1990
